Family Reunion. Yes, I know you.
You look just like what’s her name. Guess you’re kin.
You were here last year. No? Well, maybe two.
If it’s any longer, where have you been?

What was your name again? Oh, that’s right, yes.
Your father knows my mother. Oh, guess not.
You must be Daddy’s cousin. No, I confess,
I don’t remember you, don’t know from squat

How we might be related but I know
That we are second cousins from way back.
Mama’s sister’s son-in-law; goes to show
That blood’s as thick as water; that’s a fact!

Wish you’d wear a name tag so I can tell
Where from the family tree your apple fell.

Stand aside! Leave the floor. Climb the bleachers.
Do not get stomped in the elephant dance.
Is it courtship or fight? Call the teachers.
This does not look right. We can’t take a chance.

What a mess this is! One hell of a brawl!
Nothing else matters now. All the rage. Right?
Watch this crazy biz spill into the hall.
This is not chess game; it’s a cage fight!

What? There’s more? Bar the doors and call the cops!
Break out the tear gas! Don the riot gear!
Wait! Someone’s sore to the core, and where it stops
No one knows, but count the blows. This, I fear

Is the end; Majority decision or a knockout?
Depends; will it be fair fight or lockout?

Have we at last no decency? Guess not.
“Rudeness is cool. It shows courage and spunk.”
Buffalo bullies, they rule! Take their best shot
Tripping sissies at school. “Make my day, punk!”

Kindness and courtesy? Namby Pamby.
Humility? My side? Don’t make me laugh!
Thumper stew! Bring me the head of Bambi.
Throw in his children; that’s better by half!

Have we at last no decency? No time
For questions like that, and how dare you ask!
Everybody’s a cynic. The new crime
Is daring to take your leaders to task.

Boldness, once daring to preach holiness,
Now wanting honesty over success.

Water on Mars! Too salty for freezing
Satellite radar hears sloshing beneath
The Red Planet’s chilly south pole, pleasing
Scientists hell bent to find and bequeath

Some sign of extra-terrestrial life
To students and teachers eager to school
Mystery Martians to use Occam’s knife
As a paperweight instead of a tool.

Water on Mars! Too salty for fishing
And besides, one would need a tiny hook,
A wee tiny worm, a lot of wishing
And luck to catch microbes found in the Book

Of Life. Little microbes cross the life line
Buried in Mars dust and pickled in brine.

I see your wrinkles but can’t see my own,
Your hair growing gray and thin and brittle.
I see me as young; I see you as grown,
As if you were big and I was little.

I title you “sir”. I preface you “m’am”.
I keep thinking you must know more than I.
Quite deferential; that’s just who I am.
But I’m older too and wondering why

I put you in charge and I bowed to you.
Because you are bolder, just a bit older,
I crowded you, must have seemed loud to you,
Presumptive to think that you could shoulder

The weight of my world, a dog to my pup,
My reason to follow and not grow up.

I’m hearing voices from the other side.
And colors: pink or blue? Is it a boy?
A girl. That’s right. I see her take a ride
On horseback. No? No, wait. A bike. Some toy.

Her name is Cindy? Catherine? That’s right; Sue!
I see her wearing skirts and shirts. She must be
Very dear to you that she would find you
Right here. Today. Of course; she speaks through me.

She seems to oft go barefoot; sometimes shoes.
They’re black and leather, cloth, maybe vinyl
Heels or flats. Sandals? Flip-flops. Now, here’s news:
She loved them so, those shoes, and here’s what’s final:

She used to be but now knows she is not.
She wants to say she still loves you a lot.

I take no offense; I make no excuse,
But I wonder if more people would buy
Sonnets invaded by children of Zeus
Than those hinting at Christ. I wonder why

Egyptian/Tibetan Books of the Dead
And Bhagavad Gita don’t get a rise.
The Koran owns the Rubaiyat instead
Of the Holy Bible, considered wise

Though more for poetry, language and plot.
Not rare, as I think of it, just passé.
I live in the scriptures, use them a lot.
I wonder: Am I out of step with today?

It would be great if my sonnets would sell.
Better yet to steer someone clear of hell.

I’m always giving my mailbox the eyes,
Checking my email, waiting by the phone,
Looking for likes, loves, and replies,
Whatever it takes to feel less alone.

Trolls are trying to get a reaction
May be lonely people just trying to see,
If there might be any satisfaction
In being acknowledged. Is that less lonely?

We need to spend less time behind the screen.
The people we meet just might become friends.
It’s time to unmask, big reveal and come clean,
Get out and meet people. Let’s make amends

For wasting our time like birds on a perch.
Here’s a solution: We’ll see you in church.

Them! Yes, all of them! Yes, you know their name!
They always do, always say, never will
Get it right. Lay the blame! They’re all the same!
Yes, them! All of them! It’s a bitter pill.

They’ve got it all wrong! They never do right.
They’re just like those others, just more recent.
They say white is black. They say black is white.
They oppose all that is right and decent.

They’re all taking over! Better watch out!
We’ll soon be outnumbered if we don’t act.
And won’t that be bad? That’s what it’s about.
It’s bad! Getting worse! My friend, that’s a fact!

They battle us, rattle us, make us cuss.
To us “they” is them; to them “they” is us.

Act now! Don’t miss this exciting offer
A fool would pay thousands more for this thing.
But here’s your chance to fill up my coffer
Visit the website. Have a toll-free ring!

How are you living without this device?
Doesn’t your family deserve such as this?
You need this for dicing, for mincing, to slice!
Your spouse will love you and give you a kiss!

But wait! There’s more! For the next ten minutes
We’ll throw in another and you only just pay
For shipping and handling. The benefits
Won’t last, so act now! Order yours today!

Don’t wait and don’t think! Not one second thought!
And soon you’ll be tossing this junk that you bought.